Window-screen.



No. 630,004. Patented Aug. I, I899. S. A. PATTERSON.

WINDOW SCREEN.

(Application filed Dec. 24, 1896.)

a SheetsSheet (No Model.)

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No. 630,004. Patented Aug. I, I899. S. A. PATTERSON.

WINDOW SCREEN.

(Application filed Dec. 24, 1896.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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No. 630,004. Patented Aug. I, I899. S. A. PATTERSON.

WINDOW SCREEN.

(Application filed Dec. 24, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

{No Model.)

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UNiTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL A. PATTERSON, or BENNINGTON, VERMONT.

WINDOW-SCREEN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,004, dated August 1, 1899. Application filed December 24, 1896. serial No. 616,363. (No model.)

To (1. whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL A. PATTERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at the village of Bennington, in the county of Bennington and State of Vermont, have invented certain Improvements in WVindow-Screens, which invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the subjoined description, which together constitute a complete specification thereof.

This invention has for its principal objects to provide a screen which can be easily put in position in the window-frame and be easily removed and can be left in position, if desired, through the season; also, to permit free access to the outside blinds to open and close them and to work the top and bottom sashes without interference with the screen.

Another object is to provide a screen which will not encumber the top side of the windowsill to prevent the use of a brush to remove dirt or litter which com monly gathers between the inside of the screen and the outer edge of the window-sill cap.

Figure 1 is a View of a lower outside corner of a window-frame and shows a similar portion of a corner of my improved screen. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through the parts seen in Fig. 1 and a portion of an outside blind. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the window-stool and stool-cap and shows a horizontal cross-section of the window-frame and of the screen-frame. Fig. 4: is an elevation of the outside of a window-frame with one of these screens in position. The means shown in this figure for closing the opening through which the hand is passed from the inside to manipulate the blinds is a modification of that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section of the frame, window, and screen shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the slide for closing the hand-opening of the screen shown in Fig. at. Figs. 7 and S are respectively front and edge views of a plate and screw which are designed to prevent the stiles of the screen-frame from warping or springing away from the adjacent part of the window-frame. Figs. 9 and 10 are also front and edge views of a notch, staple, and groove, which serve as means for sliding the screen-frame up and down. Figs. 11, 12, and 13 are respectively inside, outside, and

edge views of the construction of a corner so as to facilitate adjustability of the screenframe as to its width.

These screens may be made in halves to close either the upper or lower half of a window-opening or they may be made the full size of the window-opening. I will here describe a screen adapted to cover or protect a half window-opening.

To carry out my invention, I construct a rectangular frame of proper size to span the width of the window-opening, preferably be tween the inside surfaces of the blind-stops, where there are blind-stops, or between the insides of the. window-frame jambs, where there are none. The rails are provided with gaps G G on their sides toward the blinds to permit free movement of the slat-rod. The rails may be made integrally of wood or metal or compositely of wood and a thin bar of metal, as shown by the parts H and L in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. The latter construction is preferable, as the thin bar L, to which the wood parts 11 H are attached, makes a strong frame and the wood parts are better adapted to fasten the screen-cloth to. The bottom rail is set in the stiles sufficiently above the window-stool to permit the hand and arm to be passed under it to reach and operate the blinds from the 1 tacks or in any other convenient Way on three sides only before the screen is fitted to its seat. It is not intended that the aggregate thickness of the metal cross-bar L and the wooden port-ions attached to it shall be enough to ob-.

struct the passage of the sash up and down or interfere with the working of the blinds. The rails and stiles are joined at the top by a peculiar lock-joint. (Shown in Fig. 13.) One side of the rail is rabbeted away, so as toleave an upstanding rib h, and the top of the stile is cut away and transversely grooved to receive the rib it against the shoulder 76'. This makes a strong construction and contributes to keeping the frame square and in proper adjustment. Each of the stiles is grooved on its outer edge,as shown in cross-section in Fig. 3, to receive staples or guides U U, which are driven into the blind-stops B. These features are to keep the screen in working position and also permit it to be raised and lowered. The stile at one edge is cut away, as at T, to permit the screen to be entered in its position for use. This notch is placed below the position of the staple when the screen is in its proper position. It is put in position by entering the uncut stile in position over the staples at one edge of the window-opening, and then by bringing the notch T opposite the staple U it will drop back into position when the screen is dropped, so that the stiles stand on the sill. A flap M is hinged to the rail or cross-bar L at the bottom and swings up inwardly. WVhen dropped, it falls back against two wings P P, one of which is attached to each stile. The flap overhangs these wings a little at each end to allow its end to be readily grasped by the fingers. These wings P P close the openings which without something of the kind would be left at each end of the flap-door. They may be made and used attached to the stiles or as a part of the flap-door, it being immaterial to which member they are applied. They act as stops to limit the drop of the flap-door.

When the screen is in position in the window-frame, the upper rail will come close to the outside of the upper window-sash, so as to exclude flies; but at the same time it offers no obstacle to the upper sash being lowered to a point where its bottom edge will touch the upper side of the flap. The wings P P are so beveled for the flap to strike them that when it falls'it will just meet and rest on the upper surface of the sill, as seen in Fig. 2. When this is raised, nothing impedes the use of a duster to sweep off the upper side of the sill and no angles or ledges remain to gather and hold dirt. In many existing styles of screens the bottom cross-rail rests on the sill and prevents the satisfactory use of the duster.

Another part of my invention relates to the means provided for preventing the stiles from springing inwardly and away from the jamb or the blind-stop. The provisions for this purpose are seen in Figs. 7 and 8 and consist of a screw S, which is screwed into the jamb or stop on each side of the frame, leaving the head projecting far enough beyond the sur face to permit the slotted plate R to slip down behind it. One of these plates R is attached to each side edge of the screen-frame, so that the notch 1" shall open downwardly. The edge of the stile on one side is notched, as at T, to admit a screw-head. Each edge of the frame is grooved, as before stated, which permits the screen to be raised and let down without interference with these screws. WVhen inserted in place, the clench effected by these notched plates catching over the heads of the screws keeps the stiles straight and properly distend cd,so that the heat or sun cannot warp or spring them outwardly, and thus leave a crack between them and the stops through which insects can pass. Other means for effectingthis distention of the screenframe and preservation of the straightness of the stiles which embody the general characteristics of this device may be employed, and for that reason I do not restrict myself to the specific style or construction of that shown, but claim that any distending device or guard for preserving the position and true shape of the stiles and standing in the same relation to the window-frame and screen-frame as this does falls within the purview of this part of my invention.

The slide shown in Fig. 6 may be used instead of flap M. It is made of sheet metal bent to the desired shape and each end is fitted with a block a b, having a finger-hole 0, whereby it may be lifted. The ends maybe cut to a curve, as shown, to permit one end to be lifted without the bar jamming or skew ing endwise. This slide is dropped into the rabbets or grooves on each side of the window-frame in which the sash slides and can be readily taken ou t, When in place, its front edge joins the cross-bar of the screen, as shown in Fig. 5, and its bottom edge rests on the window-sill, so as to effectually close the opening. It is used by lifting it up bodily by means of a finger inserted in each of the holes 0 c and sliding it up in the sash-rab bets high enough to pass the hand out under the screen.

I therefore claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, the following:

1. A window-screen having its bottom rail positioned sufficiently above the bottom ends of the stiles to allow the passage of the hand between said rail and the window-sill, in combination with a flap-door hinged to said rail to open inwardlyand extended to shut down against the top of the window-sill and completely close such passage-way, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the notched catchplate R attached to the edge of the screenframe with the screw S connected with the window-jamb, the screen-stile being notched as at T for the passage of the screw-head substantially as specified.

3. A window-screen having its bottom rail positioned sufficiently above the bottom ends of the stiles to allow the passage of the hand between said rail and the window-sill, in combination with a flap-door hinged to said rail and the lateral transverse stops P P to close said passage-way, the flap-door being adapted to swing inwardly and to shut down against the top of the window-sill when closed, substantially as specified.

4.-. In combination with awindow-screen, a cross-rail consisting of a thin metallic bar which binds together the stiles, and a wood facing thereon for receiving the tacks with dered projection aforesaid attached to the which the screen-cloth is fastened, said wood other. facing being interrupted at appropriate in- In testimony whereof I have hereto subtervals for the passage of the blind slat-rods. scribed my name this 22d day of December,

5 5. The combination with a Window-frame 1896.

and a windowscreen of a device adapted to i H 1 connect the edge of the screen to the adjacent EAMUEL PA l TILRSON' surface of the window-frame, consisting of a In presence of-- shouldered projection attached to one part FRANKLIN SCOTT,

to and a notched plate to catch over the shoul- EMILY SCOTT. 

